General Jessup yielded. The articles of capitulation were drawn up and considered. The fifth reads as follows:--"Major General Jessup, in behalf of the United States, agrees that the Seminoles and _their allies, who come in and emigrate West, shall be secure in their lives and property_; that their negroes, their bona fide property, shall also accompany them West;[91] and that their cattle and ponies shall be paid for by the United States." The language of this article could not be misunderstood. The black men then residing with the Indians, in the Indian Country, who were acting with them, and fighting our troops by the side of the Seminoles, were their "_allies_:" and to show that the capitulation was not a surrender of property, they were careful to have the compact expressly state, that their own "_negroes_, their bona fide _property_" (for many Seminoles owned slaves), should accompany them; and that their cattle and ponies, which would become the _property_ of the captors by virtue of an ordinary surrender, under their ideas of warfare, were to be paid for by the United States. There was no room left for cavil or dispute on these points;[92] nor could it be supposed that Abraham, with his experience and shrewdness, would leave such an important point doubtful. Under these articles, the Exiles were to enjoy that security for which they had contended during a century and a half. It was for this that their ancestors left South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Florida; to attain it, they were willing to leave the graves of their fathers--the country in which they had lived during many generations. Abraham now entered upon the work of inducing all his brethren, both Indians and negroes, to go to the Western Country, where they could be free from persecutions. Those willing to emigrate, were to assemble within a district of ten miles square, marked out for that purpose, near Tampa Bay. Many of the Indian chiefs visited that station; spoke encouragingly of the prospect; that the whole Nation would emigrate at no distant day. Even Osceola, the most inveterate of all the Seminole chiefs, visited Fort Mellon, avowing his intention to emigrate; while Abraham made report of a like feeling among the Exiles. Twenty-six vessels, employed to transport the emigrants to New Orleans, were anchored in Tampa Bay. Hundreds of Indians and negroes had reached the camp assigned to the emigrants, near "Fort Brooke." Their names were duly registered; they drew their rations, and made every preparation to go West. General Jessup announced the war at an end, dismissed the militia and volunteers, and asked of the Department leave to retire from active duty. CHAPTER XI. GENERAL JESSUP OVERTHROWS HIS OWN EFFORTS IN FAVOR OF PEACE.